This invention relates to a method for improving the display of situational awareness information by using single or multiple map or map based displays with peripheral range bands. Range bands are map or map based areas displayed on a display screen such that varying map scale within the range band allows for greater area to be displayed.
In recent years, prior art systems of displaying situational awareness information to users have moved from physical paper maps to digital maps displayed on computers. Recent advances in processing, display, and communications capabilities have resulted in the development of lightweight handheld computers for use in displaying digital information relating to a user""s situational awareness. These systems, when coupled with modem distributed information systems, including wireless network technologies and accurate positional data from sources such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), have the potential to improve a user""s situational awareness in both military and civilian applications. However, the utility of these lightweight computer systems in the situational awareness domain is limited by the ability of their small display screens to depict information on a small screen display with sufficient area and detail for the user to make informed decisions.
Many small screen displays currently in use in handheld computing systems are not square, and may present aspect ratios of 2.5:1 or greater. This can result in a waste of valuable screen area, especially when situational awareness information is projected where the user requires accurate information about the entire area surrounding a location of interest. With a typical north-up display orientation, a display screen will present more information on the east-west axis than on the north-south axis. This introduces an undesirable situation and orientation dependence on the presentation of awareness information. Another problem with presenting information on small screen displays is the conflict of resolution versus area coverage. If a small screen map display depicts an area large enough for use in situational awareness applications, it may lack necessary details. Conversely, if a large scale map displays sufficient detail, it may not present enough area to provide useful situational awareness information.
A need exists for a user to obtain situational awareness information such that a variety of information can be projected on a display device such that several different scale levels of information can be projected at once. In addition, by connecting the display device to a communication network, a need exists for a real-time display of a user""s situational awareness information that changes with respect to movement by the user and/or point of interest. A need also exists for displaying a variety of different types of information. For example, in a military application, a solder might need to obtain situational awareness information that dynamically changes as the position of the solder changes such that the movements of the user are displayed on a hand held display device showing terrain map images while also dynamically obtaining and displaying threat information from a wireless communication network. This threat information could be information regarding the movements of enemy air or ground based assets against the solder""s position and displayed as information over a terrain map based image. In civilian applications, a user might want a display screen to project real-time information relative to the movement of the user and other rescue or police pursuit units.
An apparatus and process for arranging and presenting situational awareness information on a computer display screen using maps and/or other situational awareness information so that greater amounts of relevant information can be presented to a user within the confines of the limited area on small computer screen displays. The map display layout for a screen display utilizes multiple, independent map displays arranged on a computer screen in order to maximize situational awareness information and display that information efficiency. By displaying multiple maps sharing a single display screen, wasted screen area is minimized by using map aspect ratios closer to unity. The ability to independently scale, zoom, and pan each map on a screen display further improves the display presentation. One map display area on a screen display can be used to provide large-scale, high-detail information about a specific area, while a second map display area can provide smaller-scale coverage of an area. Alternatively, the two maps can be used to provide specific information about two different areas of interest.
Use of map display layouts with peripheral range bands are methods for efficiently presenting and enhancing the user""s comprehension of map-based situational awareness information. While these methods have widespread applicability to all map-based displays, they are particularly well-suited for application to handheld or palmtop computer systems and their small display screens. Using multiple map display areas with peripheral range bands reduces the waste of valuable screen area and provides a detailed view of an immediate area of concern while maintaining a moderate level of information about a wider area of interest for the user. The peripheral range bands further extend the user""s situational awareness by providing general cueing information about areas outside the area of interest depicted on the map display proper.